The U.S. State Department’s new report by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterroism demonstrates that Pakistan has increased its support of the fundamentalist Taliban regime, which has forced the women and girls of Afghanistan into a state of virtual house arrest. Reliable reports have confirmed that Pakistan provides the Taliban with material, fuel, funding, technical assistance, and military advisers.

This aid to the Taliban comes at a time when the people of Afghanistan are suffering from the most severe drought the region has seen. The situation is exacerbated by the Taliban’s violent actions and draconian edicts. The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees visited Afghanistan this week, and declared the situation catastrophic. With tens of thousands of Afghans being turned away by neighboring countries and the water supply dwindling, Afghanistan now has more internal refugees than any other country. International aid is desperately needed.

Media Resources: U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, “Patterns of Global Terrorism” – April 2001 and Associated Press/InfoBeat – May 1, 2001 and Feminist Majority Foundation